The Ferrari Hypersail project is entering its next phase. Construction has begun in Livorno on a specialized facility that will serve as the operational and technological center for the development of Ferrari’s 30-meter foiling yacht. The building is being constructed on the premises of Azimut Yachts, the project’s technical partner, and has been designed not as a traditional shipyard infrastructure, but as an environment that brings together engineering, testing, athletic preparation, and the development of new technologies.
This is a significant moment in the history of Hypersail, as it shows that Ferrari treats the project not as a one-time experiment on water, but as a long-term research and development program. Having its own facilities will enable the team to carry out subsequent stages of work in one place, with direct access to the sea and, at the same time, proximity to Ferrari’s technological base in Maranello.
Livorno as a laboratory for Ferrari on water
The location is not accidental. The base in Livorno is situated directly on the Tyrrhenian Sea. Thanks to this, the Hypersail team will be able to efficiently transition from design work and technical preparation to on-water testing.
In the case of a yacht utilizing foiling, this is of particular importance. The systems responsible for lifting the hull above the water’s surface operate in an environment where even small changes in parameters can affect the behavior of the entire vessel. Therefore, testing is not merely the final stage of construction. It is an integral part of the design process, allowing for verification of design assumptions, electronics, hydraulics, aerodynamics, and the yacht’s performance in real-world conditions.
That is why the base in Livorno was designed as a place where these areas can operate in parallel. It will house team offices, facilities for engineers and the shore crew, spaces for physical preparation, as well as specialized laboratories dedicated, among other things, to work on hydraulic, electrical, and mechanical systems. An important element of the infrastructure will also be a facility for 3D printing.
From Maranello to the Tyrrhenian Sea
One of the most fascinating aspects of the project is the combination of two environments that, at first glance, seem to have very little in common. On one side, there is Maranello, associated primarily with Ferrari’s advanced automotive engineering. On the other side, we have Livorno and the world of yachts, hydrodynamics, and sailing.
Ferrari Hypersail is meant to be the place where they meet.
Ferrari can leverage the experience and expertise developed in the automotive industry, but at the same time must adapt them to completely different working conditions. A yacht operates in a dynamic environment, where wind, waves, hydrodynamic resistance, and changes in load affect the design in a fundamentally different way than what engineers deal with in a car.
That is why the ability for close cooperation between the team working at sea and the Ferrari departments responsible for design and engineering is so important. Livorno is meant to create a physical connection between these two worlds.
Not just a hangar. Infrastructure for the development process is being created
The architecture of the new facility was also tailored to the character of the project. The building features a design inspired by the yacht itself, including the Grigio Hypersail and Giallo Fly color schemes. Various types of glazing and panels were used on the façade to visually separate the office spaces from the areas designated for the vessel.
The designers went even further. Above the entrance, a technical visualization of the Hypersail bow will appear, while on the roof, the yacht’s layout will be recreated with the bow pointing toward the exit from the hangar.
This solution is not only about aesthetics. It shows that Ferrari has treated the base as a physical extension of the Hypersail project. Design, technology, and functionality are meant to form a single, cohesive system here.
The project was designed by the Ferrari Design Studio led by Flavio Manzoni. According to Ferrari, work on the facility also became an opportunity to experiment with new solutions and foster collaboration among specialists from various fields.
Azimut goes deeper into the Hypersail project
The collaboration between Ferrari and Azimut Yachts goes beyond providing infrastructure. Azimut has become the technical partner and official sailing partner of the project, and its technical department will also prepare a special support unit.
It will be a modified Azimut Fly 72, which will be assigned tasks far beyond the standard function of a motor yacht. The vessel is to support the first flight tests of the Hypersail prototype, and subsequently participate in further test campaigns. At the same time, it will also be able to serve as a unit dedicated to hosting guests and project partners.
This type of support vessel is particularly important in the case of a program utilizing foiling. Testing a yacht with such a high level of technological advancement requires not only the test unit itself, but also appropriate on-water support. The support boat can serve as an operational, transport, and logistics platform during the various stages of testing.
Hypersail as a project that goes beyond sailing
Ferrari Hypersail has been developed from the outset around the idea of technology transfer between different fields. The use of foiling itself is, of course, not new in sailing. However, the significance of the Ferrari project lies in its attempt to combine sailing technologies with the brand’s expertise in performance, aerodynamics, materials, control systems, and design processes.
The new base in Livorno shows that Ferrari is creating its own technological ecosystem for this program. Laboratories, production facilities, testing infrastructure, crew physical training, and direct access to the sea are all intended to function as a single organism.
This approach is reminiscent of the way the most advanced motorsport programs are developed. The difference is that this time, the Ferrari laboratory will not be located exclusively on the track. It will also be on the water.
The next stage before Hypersail
The commencement of base construction is one of the most important milestones of the project. Of course, the infrastructure itself is not a guarantee of technological success, but it does provide the necessary conditions for conducting a long-term testing program.
In the case of Hypersail, this will be especially important. The 30-meter foiling yacht is a project that requires not only precise craftsmanship, but above all, a continuous process of testing, data analysis, and implementing further modifications.
Livorno is set to become a place where this process will take place on a daily basis. The proximity to the sea will allow for quick confrontation of design solutions with reality, while the connection with Maranello will make it possible to leverage Ferrari’s expertise in engineering and design.
As a result, something more than just a base for a new yacht is being created. Ferrari is building its own center for the development of marine technologies, where experience from the automotive industry will meet the demands of modern sailing. If Hypersail achieves its intended parameters, Livorno could become the place where a new chapter in the history of foiling technology on large vessels is written.
